Hôtel Plaza Athénée reopens in May 2014 with six new guest rooms, eight suites and a ballroom.
The Hotel Lutetia is the next in a string of luxury Paris hotels that are shuttering for renovations. The Left Bank landmark, known for its “ephemeral” suites designed by celebrities, will close shop at the end of April 2014 for three years.
It’s true that the Lutetia “is one of the rare few Parisian hotel establishments that haven’t yet done major work,” says Claude Levy of some of the workers’ unions, as quoted in Le Monde. (The question of the future of the 211 employees remains a delicate one.)
In embarking on a major overhaul, the Lutetia follows in the footsteps of the Crillon and Ritz, Paris, both currently closed for top-to-bottom refurbishments. As far as the renovation at Hôtel de Crillon is concerned, it will last two years. Lebanese architect Alined’Amman and three Parisian decorators—Cyril Vergniol, Chahan Minassian and Tristan Auer—are working to bring the historic hotel into the 21st century. Although both management and designers have revealed little in the way of details, we know that the seventh floor will be a section within the hotel where fashion designers and brands can collaborate with the Crillon to decorate the suites. The Crillon will reopen its doors in 2015.
Finally, the Hôtel Plaza Athénée , a Dorcheter Collection’s palace hotel on fashionable Avenue Montaigne closed last month for restoration. The hotel had bought up several neighboring buildings with plans to join these to the hotel. To be unveiled in May 2014, the project will integrate a townhouse on 29 Avenue Montaigne, a townhouse on rue Clément Marot, and the building where Le Relais Plaza is located. There will be six new guest rooms, eight additional suites designed by Marie-José Pommereau, a ballroom and two event spaces. Also in store: A makeover of the Alain Ducasse au Plaza Athénée restaurant and Le Bar by the Paris-based Jouin-Manku agency, and a redo of La Galerie des Gobelins, La CourJardin and Le Relais Plaza by Bruno Moinard.
François Delahaye, COO of the Dorchester Collection and general manager of Hôtel Plaza Athénée, initially thought it was possible to keep the hotel open during the project, but later decided it best to close so as not to inconvenience guests. Its sister hotel in Paris, Le Meurice, is of course still an option for fans of the Dorchester Collection.